Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

DOVER, Tenn. — Animal cruelty charges against a Tennessee Wildlife Resources officer were dismissed and the same charges against a Humphreys County attorney will now be considered by a grand jury.

Special Judge Larry Logan of Carroll County dismissed 12 animal cruelty charges against Kenneth Ray Smith, 52, of Waverly, following an April 7 preliminary hearing in Stewart County General Sessions Court.

The judge also sent 12 counts of animal cruelty from Stewart County and 15 counts from Houston County against Clifford K. McGown Jr., 58, to grand juries to determine if the charges should proceed to Circuit Court.

The two were charged in late February when authorities found about 100 head of cattle that were undernourished on a Stewart County farm and 12 were found dead. In Houston County, a herd in similar condition was discovered with 15 of the animals dead.

The judge ruled that Smith, who had been caretaker for the animals for a couple of months, was not obligated for the cattle’s condition because testimony showed the situation happened over a period of time, said Assistant District Attorney Dani Bryson.

Logan was brought in to hear the case because Stewart County Judge Andy Brigham had to recuse himself because he was a witness.

Brigham testified that the cattle in Stewart County had belonged to his family but was sold to another person, who then sold the cattle and the lease right to farm where they were kept to McGown.

The judge also said he was notified of the cattle’s poor condition, which he reported to authorities.

After hearing the testimony, Judge Logan reduced the initial charges of aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony, to misdemeanor animal cruelty.

He also lowered the bond against McGown.

Sexual battery

Earlier in the week, Brigham lowered the bond in an unrelated case against a Dover minister charged with a sex crime.

Steven Edwin Waller, 51, who gave an Adkins Road address, was booked into jail on April 4 on a charge of aggravated sexual battery.

Stewart County Sheriff’s Investigator David Evans said Waller admitted during an interview to having unlawful sexual contact with a girl younger than 18 years old as she was sleeping.

Evans said Waller was a minister at Dover First Church of the Nazarene.

Bond was set at $75,000, but Waller appeared before Brigham on April 5 and the judge reduced the bond amount to $60,000 with conditions he gets no new charges before his trial, he has no contact with children under 18 and no contact with the victim.

Mark Hicks can be reached at 931-212-7626 or on Twitter: @markhicksleaf.